Sierra Space adds production capacity for solar power systems for satellites

The U.S.-based commercial aerospace and defense technology company, announced a new $45 million facility in Colorado to manufacture solar array systems to serve the growing satellite market.

Sierra Space, a U.S.-based aerospace and defense technology company, has announced a new facilty to expand its capacity to manufacture solar PV power systems for satellites, as well as other applications.

“The new Sierra Space Power Station facility has solar production capacity of approximately 150 kW per year, and we have plans to triple capacity in the coming years,” Brian Anthony, Vice President of Programs at Sierra Space told pv magazine.

Located in Colorado, the 70,000 sq ft (6,503 m2) facility represents a $45 million investment built to house production of defense-hardened solar arrays, including office space, tooling, and infrastructure for testing thermal, vibration, and pyroshock performance. It has a staff of 100.

The plan is to deliver 40 satellite wings initially, increasing to 100 satellites wings per year at full scale. including production for national defense applications.

The company’s solar arrays for space feature high-efficiency gallium arsenide (GaAs) triple junction metal wrap through (MWT) micro-cells, with a power conversion efficiency of 30% at the wafer level, according to Anthony. The company has a partner to fabricate the cells to its specifications.

To reach its production targets, the company has automated processes to shorten solar panel lead times, increase productivity, and yield. For example, it has a patented surface mount technology (SMT) process to robotically fix cells, wiring, and strings onto printed circuit boards (PCB).

SMT is used in the electronics industry for integrating chips, devices, and optical components onto PCBs with precision and high-speed throughput.

Sierra Space says that it provides “low-cost, highly scalable power systems,” ranging in size from 10 watts to 10 kW, and that its end-to-end electric power solutions consist of fully assembled and tested solar arrays, solar array drives, slip rings, hinges, holddown mechanisms, and motor control electronics.

Earlier this month, Sierra Space announced a new operation dedicated to supporting U.S. national security space as a prime contractor, as well a new manufacturing facility dedicated to defense satellites.

Founded in 2021 as a spinoff of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), the company is vertically-integrated with several divisions offering space technologies, spacecraft, space stations and technologies for commercial space and defense applications.